Information and discussion regarding garden diseases, insects and other unwelcome critters.
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July 7, 2016 | #1 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: El Lago, Texas
Posts: 1,100
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Tomatoes almost done for in zone 9 Texas Gulf Coast
It happens every year at this time. No matter how much I try to fight it, fungus always wins, helped along by heat, tiny worms, nematodes, and sometimes stink bugs. I shall have to live vicariously through the posts of others who will harvest tomatoes for the rest of the season. This is what my leaves look like:
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July 7, 2016 | #2 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Alabama
Posts: 7,068
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Sorry to hear of your woes but it is a common thing along the Gulf Coastal region with our high heat, high humidity,plentiful foliage diseases, plentiful pests and abundant soil diseases along with nematodes. I have quite a few that look worse than that after a bad two weeks of spider mite devastation but I'm not giving up yet. Of course there are a few that I pulled yesterday since there was really nothing left of them that looked viable. I sprayed with the bleach spray this morning and will probably treat for spider mites and stinkbugs again next week since we had a heavy thunderstorm that removed most of my pesticide, and DE mix that works pretty well on both. As to nematodes I graft all my plants onto root stock that is very resistant and rarely see them anymore. I will keep applying fungicides to ward off the onset of diseases and treat them with the bleach when they do show up along with keeping them fertilized and watered until there is no hope. I usually get at least half my plants to last through the summer despite the heat but this year has been a bugger with temps regularly topping 100 and near 100% humidity for the past 5 or 6 weeks. These conditions have brought on an early invasion of both stink bugs and spider mites along with plenty of foliage diseases so this might be the year most of them don't make it. However I do have some new plants that I set out just a week ago and they are looking good so maybe if I am vigilant I will have good fall tomatoes; but then again late blight might show up again this year and end it all.
Bill |
July 7, 2016 | #3 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: El Lago, Texas
Posts: 1,100
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Did you at least get a few good fruits that were edible? I am not familiar with spraying with bleach and have never tried grafting.
Donna |
July 7, 2016 | #4 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Between The Woodlands and Spring, Texas
Posts: 553
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I pulled my plants about 2 weeks ago, but I started fall tomato seeds the next day.
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Arlie |
July 7, 2016 | #5 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Arizona
Posts: 153
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Zonies are done too. We feel your pain.
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July 7, 2016 | #6 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Louisiana
Posts: 587
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Quote:
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July 8, 2016 | #7 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: El Lago, Texas
Posts: 1,100
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July 8, 2016 | #8 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Alabama
Posts: 7,068
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Quote:
http://tomatoville.com/showthread.ph...t=bleach+spray Give it a read and then see what you think. I personally have been using it for years after stumbling upon it accidentally when removing mildew from my siding and eaves one summer. Bill |
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July 8, 2016 | #9 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Pulaski County, Arkansas
Posts: 1,239
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moribund
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July 9, 2016 | #10 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Louisiana
Posts: 587
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I always grow fall tomatoes. Down here, I am in about the same climate as you, I have found that I can grow just about any variety in the fall. I tried some of the heat set varieties, but find they fall a bit short on taste. I'd say whatever your favorite variety is, give it a shot. Start the seeds now, and put them in the ground first week of August.
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July 11, 2016 | #11 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Alabama
Posts: 7,068
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Quote:
I agree don't go for the heat set or early hybrid varieties as they seem to do poorly in the fall. I find that any variety that will set tomatoes when it is hot will do good in early fall and cool set tomatoes seem to be a little late setting many times. I have had great luck with Limbaugh's Legacy, Pruden's Purple, Spudakee, Big Beef, Indian Stripe, and even Brandywine Cowlick's. Most of the varieties that I grow as main crop tomatoes do well in the fall with a few exceptions like the really late varieties. It looks like most of my main crop tomatoes got really messed up by those spider mites a few weeks ago. Most are still alive but since I have new ones going now I may pull most of them just so I don't have to spend the time fighting the spider mites and diseases on the older plants. Bill Bill |
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